Needless to say, I was taken aback by the disco beat when I finally heard Summer's original version.

I haven't been writing much lately, but I couldn't let the passing of this timeless talent go by without comment. Like Houston before her, she was a great singer who went too soon, and country music's legacy was just a little bit richer for her passing through.

Forgot she wrote “Starting Over Again.” That’s been one of my favorite of Reba’s recordings for a long time. Will have to listen to Dolly’s version now.

Excellent as always, Kevin. Love the line, “Whereas Dolly Parton wrote a #1 pop hit by Whitney Houston, Donna Summer wrote a #1 country hit for Dolly Parton.” Can’t believe two fabulous singers with a connection to Dolly died just mere months apart. There are too many great losses already in 2012.

What is surprising to me is that this is so surprising. Donna Summer is obviously a talented songwriter and for her to pen something for Dolly does not strike me as a bolt from the blue. If Donna Summer was an orthodontist and wrote something for Dolly, then that would be surprising. But a good song is a good song and to pidgeonhole artists is a little bit unfair to them…not that I think it is ever going to stop! But from a musical perspective, I think Peter Paul and Mary had a lot in common with Earth Wind & Fire. Both groups were really great funk bands in that one instrument plays a fill and then someone else plays a fill and if it sounds seemless than it just sounds like one big instrument….PP&M just sang harmonies, which EW&F didn’t…

If you’re referring to my above comment, I think you may be reading into it a little too far. When I said I was surprised to learn that “Starting Over Again” was written by Summer, it was only because it is not the style of song with which Summer is most often associated. (I don’t think it was specifically written for Dolly Parton, but was rather inspired by the divorce of Summer’s husband’s parents) I wasn’t in any way meaning to suggest that Summer is not a good songwriter, if that’s what you got from it.